


A Firey Name

by AvadaGreenEyes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 13:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18250790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvadaGreenEyes/pseuds/AvadaGreenEyes
Summary: Harry's name comes out of the Goblet, but this time he does something about it. Publicly.





	A Firey Name

**_Date:_ ** _ October 31st, 1994 _

**_Location:_ ** _  Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, U.K. _

 

_ “What?!” _ Hadrian stood up as quick as he could without falling backwards over the beach, and his hands were slammed on the table to steady himself.

 

“I-I refuse! I refuse to participate, Professor! I did not consent to put my name in the Goblet and I do not consent to participate!” Hadrian felt like he was going to be sick, and he felt cold all over. He could tell everyone was looking at him, but he could not tell what emotions laid behind their masks of interest. 

 

He was staring - helplessly, he was sure - up at the Head Table, trying to prove he didn’t do this shit, but it seemed to be no use.

 

Dumbledore opened his mouth to address him. 

 

“Come now, dear boy, you must have put your name in the Goblet of Fire. It came out, after all.” Hadrian was frustrated and angry, but he’d rather do this with witnesses than none at all, so he’d fight damnit - he wasn’t a Gryffindor for nothing.

 

“But I  _ didn’t _ Professor! I’m 14! It’s a power magical artifact! If not even the Weasley Twins could invent something to get past it, surely you don’t believe I could? I have no need nor want of fame or money!  _ I already have that!” _  There was a ringing silence and he let the people, his peers, in the Great Hall think about it. He knew that the results would be mixed, and humans were fickle beings, but  _ surely _ someone would agree with him?

 

Thinking about it, because this was the British Wizarding Community, the reactions would generally depend on the House Crest citizens displayed during their Hogwarts days. Slytherin House - where those of cunning and ambition resided - would read the emotions on his face, consider his words, and know the truth. Ravenclaw House - wit and learning valued above all - would more than likely stay in the most neutral position possible until they knew all the information, and try to educate others on their stupidity. Gryffindor House - the brave and chivalrous - despite what he was saying would either be jealous or congratulatory, and cheer him on either way for his daring. Finally, Hufflepuff House - the home for those who were loyal and hardworking -  would be upset that he managed to steal this from Cedric Diggory, the  _ real _ Hogwarts Champion. 

 

Refocusing his attention on the Head Table, he noticed mixed reactions there too, but he really didn’t want to think about them for the time being. He saw Dumbledore was about to respond and looked at the Headmaster. 

 

“Now, Harry, perhaps we can all discuss this in a less public place, with the other champions?” Hadrian looked at the Headmaster incredulously, and considered his words before responding. 

 

“First, Headmaster, I don’t believe I gave you permission to use my given name, besides which my name is  _ Hadrian _ . Second, if I have to prove that I did not put my name in, nor that I want to participate, I will consent to Veritaserum in front of the school. Thirdly, I would like to address you, Mr. Crouch. Does it say anywhere in the rules that I must be a champion?” Dumbledore frowned at the first point, and others in the Great Hall were gaping about the Veritaserum. Mr. Crouch looked like he was thinking about the inquiry before responding. 

 

“As I’m sure you are aware, the Goblet of Fire makes a magically binding contract between the Tournament, itself, and the student who put their name in. If what you are saying is true, and you did not put your name in, than this contract applies to whoever put your name in, and not yourself because the Goblet collects the magical signature of the volunteer present in the name deposit, and not the signature on the paper.”

 

Hadrian sighed in relief and relaxed the set of his shoulders. 

 

“In that case, sir, as a Ministry official and former head of the DMLE, I would like to formally petition you for the use of Veritaserum to discover the truth. If I am lying then I must participate anyway and you may bring the weight of the law down on me barring character assassination, but if I am telling the truth, then we need to discover who would conspire to enter a 14 year-old boy into a deadly tournament meant for adults. Either way, we should discover how my name was entered in the first place, no matter by whose hand.” Mr. Crouch nodded along with this idea, and agreed with the reasoning. 

 

“Yes, Mr. Potter, I believe that can be arranged.” Hadrian smiled at the Ministry official, and turned to his Potions Professor. 

 

“Professor Snape do you happen to have some Veritaserum on your person, or in your lab? I’ll pay you 20 galleons for it, if you’d like.” Not surprisingly the Professor sneered at him, but reached into his robes anyway and withdrew a vial of the truth serum, handing it to Mr. Crouch. 

 

“Thank you, Professor, you’ll receive payment tonight. Mr. Crouch, might we do this here, in the Great Hall? I think everyone deserves to know the truth, and they might as well hear it first hand and accurately, then hear it second hand and poorly.” 

 

It seemed the various staff and guests, not to mention the student body, approved of this. The only exception was Hadrian’s own Headmaster, Dumbledore, but the man chose to remain silent. 

 

“Of course, Mr. Potter, it shall be done.” Upon completion of his sentence, the house-elves of Hogwarts School changed the layout of the Great Hall. The Head Table became a single chair for Hadrian to sit in, and all the people sitting at the Head Table were moved to the bottom of the dias in a long, neat row. The House Tables disappeared as well, and the benches become single seats, each of their occupants turned to face the dias. Harry found himself magically transported to the seat on the dias, Mr. Crouch on one side of him and Professor McGonagall on the other. 

 

“As his Head of House, I will be acting  _ in loco parentis _ for Mr. Potter. Will you be the examiner, Bartemus?” Professor McGonagall asked. 

 

“I will, Minerva. Now, three drops of the serum on your tongue, Mr. Potter, and we can begin.”

 

Dutifully, Hadrian stuck out his tongue for the potion. He swallowed the correct amount and sat back, absently noting that someone had cast a  _ Sonorous _ at the dias so everyone could hear. 

 

“Minerva, will you ask the test questions?” The Professor nodded for all the see, and turned back to her charge. 

 

“Is your name Harry James Potter?”

 

“No.”

 

“What is your name?”

 

“Hadrian Jameson Rigel Potter-Black.”

 

“Are you a sorted member of Gryffindor House?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What is your summer address?”

 

“Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, England.” Professor McGonagall nodded once more, and turned to Crouch. 

 

“It’s working Bartemus, you may ask your questions.” The Professor stood back a bit, but placed her hand on the back of Hadrian’s chair. Crouch continued with questioning the fourth year. 

 

“Mr. Potter, did you place your name in the Goblet of Fire?”

 

“No.”

 

“Did you ask someone else to do it for you? Perhaps an adult or older student?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you have a idea of who might be behind this?”

 

“No.” 

 

“Professor Snape, please administer the antidote. It is clear Mr. Potter - excuse me,  _ Potter-Black _ \- is innocent, and therefore cannot participate in the Tournament.” Crouch and the various Heads dismissed their students back to their dorms (as dinner was over anyway), but two remained: Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. 

 

And if anyone noticed Hadrian quietly hand over a bag of gold to the Potions Master, they didn’t mention it. If the Professor noticed it was heavier than 20 galleons though….well, no one had to know. 

 


End file.
